Like this:

Usually, my previews of tournament focus on all the different possibilities that could happen. This is not one of those previews. Templario & Ultimo Guerrero are almost definitely winning this block of the Gran Alternativa, and likely winning this tournament. It’d take something like Templario breaking a leg for it not to happen. He’s very good, he’s got a partner who wins a whole lot, and there’s barely a credible opponent. You can reach and think that maybe CMLL thinks nearly as highly of Audaz, or maybe Universo 2000 Jr. gets a sympathy push, but they’re all extreme long shots. This is less a competition than an obvious coronation.

What would make for a strong coronation is a good bunch of wins leading up to that crowning. In that vein, it’s a tremendous disappointment Audaz & Dragon Lee aren’t still a team to provide the best of those possible wins. It makes all the sense for Dragon Lee not to be here – there’s no reason for him to risk his health with three possible matches when he’s unlikely to be 100% anyway – but a big build to Kraneo & Audaz definitely doesn’t have the same appeal. A tournament path where UG & Templario beat Valiente & Principe DIamante, Caristico & Star Jr. and Kraneo & Audaz doesn’t have a tremendous amount of excitement in it.

It’ll be up to Soberano and Negro Casas to provide the excitement. It’s a no time limit one fall match, following on their 10 minute draw last month. The irony is that was probably Negro Casas’ longest singles match of the year. They’re a good bet to go under 10 this time, because Casas seems to feel he’s better in shorter amount (and probably knows better than me.) A shorter length will keep the pace pretty fast, and this should be worth watching after.

The main event is Mistico, Volador and Angel de Oro against Mephisto, Lucifierno, and Ephesto, which figures to be a quick showcase for the tecnicos. Titan, Triton, and Esfinge versus Dragon Rojo, Polvora and Hechicero looks like the better trios match; perhaps they’ll follow up on the Esfinge/Hechicero feud elsewhere. That wouldn’t be normal for CMLL, but Hechicero works smarter than most. Fuego, Pegasso and Stigma versus Disturbio, Raziel and Cancerbero promises to be a match, and Aereo & Acero versus Mercurio & Pequeno Violencia might not even be that much.

CultIcon has a preview of the show. The show airs at 8:30pm, on Marca.com and Facebook, though there’s no link for that when I wrote this. I’m probably not going to be around, so you’re on your own if the feeds don’t work. Or you need to bug me very loudly.

I loudly voiced my opinion that Atlantis in ROH was a not a good idea on Twitter. Atlantis was slowing down even before his knee injury, but he could’ve figured out some way to get thru the ROH matches if he was there a year ago or three. He was doing fine at FantasticaMania. This year’s version of Atlantis has not looked good and seems to be getting worse, as if the knee hasn’t healed right for him or if age suddenly caught up. He seems to be sticking around primarily so he can team with his son, and is also saying that son isn’t going to be ready to wrestle until maybe late this year or next. Atlantis just seems to be intent on surviving until then, which doesn’t make for great matches. (And probably means he won’t be losing his mask any time soon.)

Atlantis is working in ROH because Atlantis wants to be in ROH. It wouldn’t be happening any other way. Atlantis’ only US major promotion appearance was a one match appearance on WCW Worldwide, where the announcers pretended he was Lizmark Jr. for the entire match. I’d suspect part of him wants a real US major promotion appearance to check it off his career list, and that’s what this is all about for him. I just also think the memory he’s going to leave for people who’ve never seen him before and will only see him there will not be a greatly positive one.

The flip side is these are not really big ROH shows, so a bad match on a normal house show far away from home is not really that big of a deal. The Texas shows seemed to draw well, from what I saw going back thru them a couple months ago, and they’ll likely be streamed on ROH’s service this year. That’s still not that many people – it’s not like Atlantis is in danger of being an anchor on a PPV or a TV taping, it’s just something only the dedicated of ROH fans are going to ever see. If ROH had to use Atlantis, there are worse ways to use him.

Rey Mysterio Jr. was announced for the 06/02 Heroes of Lucha Libre show a few days ago. SoCalUncensored adds that Rey was originally planned for a later show, and moved up because of concern about how that June show is going to do. They also appear to be offering discounts.

An interview with Mil Mascaras has him noting he’s not been giving many calls for work later, and theorizes it’s because he’s a serious wrestler and they don’t want serious wrestlers nowadays.

Tuesday shows often aren’t great but this one is particularly unpromising. Shocker’s back for the first time in a month. Arkangel hasn’t been around for two months. Espiritu Negro makes his first appearance since Sangre Imperial broke his face last year, immediately face Sangre Imperial. The lightning match is no good, the women’s match doesn’t seem promising. Maybe the semimain will be good but it’s not a great sign when 2018 Epehsto & Luciferno are in the best match.

Like this:

Bandido doing well elsewhere is usually the way to point out how great it is he didn’t stay in CMLL. In this one, Bandido faces a CMLL wrestler to make the same point. Niebla Roja is technically alright but never feels like he gets out of Tuesday lightning match gear. He never seems to realize he’s wrestling in a (mostly empty) Arena San Juan instead of a (mostly empty) Arena Mexico. It’s a slow match early and one where Bandido feels plugged into an above average formula without either man really challenging what they can do. The finish is extremely weird – I think Niebla Roja gives up, and then puts his foot on the ropes to break the hold. It’s not much of an out, even as he protests

Bandido’s tope con giro always looks good in the buildinga fight over an armbar

An apuesta match that feels vicious and bloody at times. I wanted to see Syrus again after seeing him on the KDojo shows and he works well here as a rudo. His timing on spots is pretty good; the jumping kneelift to cut off a dive is a different spot than I’ve seen for that moment and works well here. Gardenia is nominally an exotico but it’s not much part of the match here outside of his outfit. Gardenia does a lot more traditional offense and comes off as a good athlete. The rudo referee stuff doesn’t really add much or go anywhere, but they do make a story out of Gardenia limping around by the end. I think they peaked well before the actual finish, but the crowd was way into to the actual end.

It was nice to beable to see a CMLL title match, even if CMLL couldn’t just air it themselves. This two teams had a fair match given it was a non-TV match on the least important show of the week, and it’s only disappointing in the idea that it could’ve been some hidden classic. Neither técnico really works a mat style to go with Virus, and Triton or even Esfinge doesn’t have a great showcase of moves in this one. it’s a midlevel combination of what they all do well with nothing really feeling like a big match until the last few minutes. They were effective in what they do pull off, but they do something more than rush thru finishers at the end to bring it up. This was solidly good but the idea of the match was more interesting than the match itself.

Kawato was closer to his Japanese reputation than he has shown in CMLL, showing fire and intensity that’s not really present in his rudo act. He was a young boy trying to fight over his status and getting brutally shut down, and Ricky Marvin brutally shuts him down in a great closing stretch. The earlier portions of the match are more disjointed, seeming like Marvin has a plan of what they’re going to and CMLL Kawato is along for the ride while being mildly confused. These Lucha Memes Marvin matches have been the best possible version of the grump rudo act, where he gives his young opponents enough moments to make them look like something worth defeating, and then still looks like a monster in destroying them. Marvin never felt truly in danger of being beat here, and I’d like to see the rematch in nine months when maybe Kawato can get that far and make the first half work better. Generally, I’d like to see him in these matches rather than what we’ve got out of him in CMLL.

Negro Casas gave Aramis chances to look really good in this match, and Aramis fully took advantage. They built the match well towards the finish and around the casita, with the battle escalating the entire way. Casas was there for every big spot Aramis wanted to do, and Aramis made them look good. The toughest part was convincing the crowd that Aramis had a chance; his kneebar looked great, but the crowd didn’t react at all like it was a possible ending. Everything else went really well, and it made for a satisfying match.

The early brawl was great, though it felt like they kind of punched themselves out and slowed down quick as a result. It was still a strong fight the whole way. Marvin having a plan to attack the knee from the start and following it thru the match feels totally different for IWRG. Marvin the bruiser needs something more to his look but it’s an effective character.